


Heart of Intrigue

by noodles83



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 22:11:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12142191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodles83/pseuds/noodles83
Summary: Iris finds herself more and more drawn to Ignis as they work together to fight back the darkness. Unable to wait any longer and intent on figuring him out, she makes a bold move, one that leaves her staggered at the realization that what she felt for him went beyond mere attraction.





	Heart of Intrigue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a piece that I've written for the sole purpose of giving Ignis the happiness and love he rightly deserves. It's mushy and romantic and I hope it conveys well the appreciation and fondness that I feel for such a wonderful character.  
> The events in this piece occur during World of Ruin, just before Noctis returns.

She was kissing him. Iris could not decide what finally prompted her to do it. One minute she was standing next to him at the kitchen counter, watching as he stirred eggs in the pan, wearing his silly apron and recounting one of their earlier escapades in that prim-and-proper tone that she'd come to admire, the next she was on her tiptoes, cupping his cheek, turning his face towards her and pressing her mouth firmly to his.

It was probably because he'd taken care of her wounds after that stint in Styliff Grove a week ago. Or maybe it was because they've been almost inseparable for the past year, what with all the hunting and reconnaissance missions that they've been taking on together. Or maybe, just _maybe,_ it was because she couldn't stop thinking about him for gods only knew how long.

Maybe it was all of those things.

Somewhere down the line, Ignis Scientia had become a mystery that she had to unravel, the very heart of intrigue. She'd always known him to be a force of nature, a fighter, and a hero. Fate couldn’t have chosen a worse candidate the day his sight was taken from him.

For someone like Ignis, the hard blow to his pride would have been reason enough for him to balk and retreat. She was there during that time, a young girl witnessing a strong and surefooted young man stumble, both in step and judgement, as he tried to make sense of a world suddenly gone mad. Over the past ten years, she'd watched as he’d steadily harnessed his disability, molding and shaping, turning it into a tool and, most often, a lethal weapon.

Now, he behaved as if he could see more clearly than he had ever before. He sensed his surroundings better than most people, enough so that almost nothing escaped his notice. He detected patterns and movement, saw things in his mind’s eye before any of them could, voicing warnings or encouragement, turning the tide of battle in their favor more times than she could count. It was captivating, and downright unnerving sometimes.

He fascinated her. His every movement became something to study closely and marvel at.

And with fascination came this visceral, all-consuming attraction. She found herself thinking of him almost constantly, as the attraction grew, wondering if he ever thought of her the same way. It got to the point where the smallest gesture, be it the slight tilt of his head towards her when they sat silently around the camp fire, or the shifting of his weight whenever she brushed past him, was perceived as an underlying sign of affection or interest.

Who knew? She couldn’t for the life of her figure it out, figure _him_ out, no matter how hard she tried. She could only wish, and anticipate, and fear. It didn't help that Ignis was simply a hard man to read. He always had a reserved and controlled air about him, a… _stillness_ that permeated his actions, even in the midst of combat. He maintained a calm and controlled demeanor wherever he went. Those who did not know him well mistook him for a distant and stoic man, not knowing that beneath the surface resided a brave, passionate and fiercely loyal soul.

And to add to it all, he had the most sinfully beautiful mouth no man had a right to have.

So yeah, it was kiss him or go crazy.

 

The moment stretched on, but Ignis did not move a muscle. Neither body nor lips responded or showed any hint of a reaction. He was still as a statue.  
Iris pulled back slowly, a frown on her brow and her face a flaming red as she stared at him. She was close enough that she could see his one good eye open through his shades, silver and staring straight ahead.  
It was dead silent in the kitchen save for the sound of the sizzling pan. He stood there, his face a blank mask, the lack of reaction making her heart plummet as she came to the realization that all of it was simply in her head.

 _Silly, delusional Iris_ , a voice inside her head taunted, _he does not care. You just made a fool of yourself._  
He had not uttered a word, yet his unspoken rejection did not fail to sting. She was jolted by how much it hurt her. What could have been a beautiful moment suddenly turned into something almost unbearable. Even though he could not see the disappointment and embarrassment on her face, and that was a small blessing, the need to escape still overwhelmed her.

“I'm sorry,” she mumbled, and started to move away.

And then her world was all but flipped upside down.

Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. An Iron Giant could have gallivanted into the kitchen and she would not have been as unprepared as she was by what took place in the minutes that followed.  
She probably backed away half a step before she was suddenly grabbed by the waist and hauled back. A blink and a short gasp was all she could muster before her lips, as well as her senses, were overtaken.

He pressed her to his side, his arm holding her tightly as he kissed her. Lips, unmoving and impassive mere moments ago, now moved against hers with ardent, single-minded resolve, kissing her over and over until she was breathless and light-headed. He turned his body towards her, his other gloved hand lifting to cup her cheek, mimicking her earlier gesture on his, to then slide down and delve into the tied hair at the nape of her neck, gripping it firmly as his mouth all but devoured hers.

How long the kiss lasted, she did not know. Nor did she care. Nothing mattered at this point but the onslaught of sensation that she willingly embraced: the feel of his mouth, his hurried breath as it mingled with hers, the nipping of his teeth and the slide of his tongue. At one point, her arms remembered how to move and she’d lifted them to wrap tightly around his neck. Now she raised her hands, burying them in light-brown hair soft and thick, just like she imagined it would be.  
Gods, he tasted so good. Her teeth sank lightly into his bottom lip and he groaned, the deep tone reverberating through her, sending a thrill down her spine and joy singing in her veins. She pressed herself tighter against him, molding herself to his body, feeling the hard muscle beneath, not wanting an inch to separate them.  
After what could have been an eternity, Ignis broke the kiss, and she almost moaned aloud in protest.  
“Iris,” he breathed her name against her lips. His voice was hoarse, the gravelly sound sending another shiver through her, and the only response she could muster was to press her lips back to his.  
He indulged her for a moment longer, his mouth fervent and hot, before he broke off and spoke her name again.  
“What.” she protested, refusing to open her eyes.  
“Your brother,”  
Another kiss. “What about him.”  
As if on cue, she heard the thudding of approaching footsteps. Heavy, methodical, and over-confident they were. There was no mistake. It was Gladio.  
Like children about to get caught, she and Ignis broke off and scurried to get themselves in order. She straightened her vest and retied her hair while he quickly adjusted his shades and patted his way across the counter to rescue the contents, surely burned by now, in the frying pan. A second later he hissed a quiet _drat_ as his hand caught the wrong end of it, and she rushed to grab it with a towel before it fell to the floor. As she turned to help him, Iris couldn't help but muse at how silly they both must look. A soft giggle escaped her and she found herself shaking with laughter.

Then she looked up to see the lips she'd just kissed tilted in an answering smile, and, in that instant, Iris realized that her heart belonged to her no longer.


End file.
